Wenn die Vöglein musizieren für 3 Flöten

Robert Stolz (1880–1975) hardly needs an introduction. He was a successful composer and conductor from Graz. Among the highlights of his career were two Oscar nominations. His extensive body of work has still not been fully explored. Many of his melodies, however, remain unforgettable to this day, and his work as a conductor—especially in the genre of Viennese music—has been immortalized on countless recordings. What made his work so special was succinctly captured by Marcel Prawy as follows: “Unlike Johann Strauss II or Franz Lehár, Stolz is a composer whose music can withstand any arrangement, capable, as it were, of wearing any suit: his music sounds magnificent whether performed by a philharmonic orchestra, sung by a world-class tenor or a jazz singer, or played by a band, a guitar, a zither, or solo piano. The importance of arrangement makes this man from Graz the American among the masters of European music.”¹ In close collaboration with Clarissa Henry and the Edition Rex, as well as Hans Stolz and the Astoria Musikverlag, new arrangements for wind orchestra will be created from 2026 onward. The aim is to establish the works of Robert Stolz as a permanent part of the repertoire in this genre as well. This arrangement features a global hit (1955) by Robert Stolz. The German lyrics were written by Ernst Marischka. The piece has also been published under the title “Happy Birthday Polka” and is an integral part of the operetta “Frühjahrsparade.” The arrangement for three flutes is intended for music schools and aims to help ensure that this beautiful melody can once again be heard more frequently in music school settings.